Wrapping machine safety mechanism



Dec. 1, 1942. I JENSEN 2,304,048

WRAPPING- MACHINE SAFETY MECHANISM Filed June 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG, 7

lbiVENTOR 'THORMOD JENSEN ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. JENSEN WRAPPING MACHINE SAFETY MECHANISM Filed June 5, 1941 Dec. 1, 1942.

NY wm Patented Dec. 1, 1942 WRAPPING MACHINE SAFETY DIECHANISM Thormod Jensen, Lanrelton, N. Y., assignor to American Machine and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 5, 1941, Serial No. 396,713

1'7 Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and more particularly to bread wrapping machines and safety adjuncts thereof designed to prevent damage to several parts thereof because of the presence of.over-sized or improperly p0,-

sitioned articles, such as loaves of bread, which may not be located properly with respect to elements of the machine operating to feed and fold wrappers about the loaf.

In wrapping machines which employ a vertiarticle from one level Where it is introduced into the machine to another, there are usually provided means for forming end tucks in the wrappers partially applied thereabout. Sometimes due to articles which are improperly fed onto the table, such as sliced loaves, if the slices are not arranged in proper order, the tucking mechanism carried by the lifter table may be forced out of its designated position so that upon upward travel of the table into the wrapping zone, one or both of the tuckers comprising this mechanism may engage with opposed folders located above the table, and cause possible damage to the machine because of the forces set up between the upwardly moving tuckers on the lifter table and the folders which are adapted to fold portions of the wrapper downwardly against the ends of said loaves. Again, due to the fact that the tuckers may be individually adjustable cally movable lifter table for transferring an or both of the folders for stopping the machine whenever a folder is raised by element engagement.

My invention also consists in the provision of pivotally mounted spaced opposed end folders operative to swing upwardly in substantially vertical planes about their pivots whenever an obstruction occurs on the lifter table which is' moving an article to be wrapped into the zone of influence of the tuckers.

Either one or both of the folders may be provided with a switch of some suitable kind, such as a mercury switch, which upon vertical movement of either of the end folders upon which it is mounted either stops the entire machine motion or a part thereof in order to obviate breakage of one or both of the folders or tuckers.

My invention is further characterized by the provision of novel folding mechanism in the form of substantially vertically movable end -folder plates and means for adjusting the plates longitudinally relative to the foldway or path through which articles to be wrapped are moved. My invention is particularly adapted for use with article wrapping machines, such as bread operative whenever a loaf is fed upon the table to and from each other it is possible that they may not be correctly aligned with the folders directly above them and hence when they move upwardly in response to the travel of the lifter table they may engage and cause breakage either of the folders or tuckers, or both.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide safety mechanism which permits relative movement between the tuckers and folders disposed in the path of the tuckers in order to prevent all damage to either the tuckers and/or folders and interrupt the action of the machine if either one or both of the tuckers engage a folder upon upward movement of the lifter table.

It is a further object of my invention to pro vide vertically movable folders which can yield upwardly when engaged by improperly positioned tuckers in order to prevent breakage of either one or both of the tuckers or the folders.

\ ments or folders, and devices associated with one for forming the first end tucks in the wrapper. In the event that a loaf, either sliced or unsliced. is improperly positioned upon the table relative to the spaced tuckersyand thus forms an obstruction preventing normal operation of the tuckers so that they are improperly positioned relative to the folders which next engage the loaf and its wrapper that they will strike them, means are provided for allowing the folders to be biased out of engagement with the tuckers which otherwise would cause breakage and-damage thereto. It is,.therefore, a part of my invention to provide means in the form of a suitable stop device, such as a mercury switch, which may be mounted on one or both folders for incapacitating the machine, if such a condition exists.

I have found that occasionally loaves of bread v being introduced into wrapping machines are improperly arranged on the infeed conveyor with respect to the lugs engaging them for travel to the position where they are advanced to the wrapping mechanism. This means that whenever a stop plate is used for locating loaves of bread moving into the machine for transfer to wrapping mechanism, the lugs which support the infee'd flights are apt to be bent or broken because of the pressure exerted by damaged loaves pressing against the infeed lugs or conveyor flights.

It is a further object of my invention, therefore, to provide means such as a safety stop plate which can yield upwardly out of the path of the conveyor lugs in the event that there are improperly positioned loaves, either sliced or unsliced on the conveyor, and in this manner prevent breakage of the lugs or flights and loss in time in machine operation. If desired, this plate can be adjustably mounted in order to adapt it for cooperation with any size loaf.

My invention also consists in the provision of a pivotally mounted adjustable loaf stop plate coacting with the ini'eed mechanism of a bread wrapping machine for locating a loaf relative to the wrap mechanism, which plate can yield vertically upward in the event that some unsatisfactory condition exists between the loaves of disclose mechanism for handling and wrapping articles, such as sliced loaves of bread L, which are advanced into the machine and positioned bread being fed and the infeed conveyor. This arrangement allows the entire loaf to be moved out of the machine On continued forward motion of the conveyor without the necessity of stopping the machine to back up the conveyor manually with a concurrent loss of time and labor.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Figure l is a partial plan view of a wrapping machine showing my two safety devices;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 33 of Figur 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 3 but showing the pivoted safety loaf stop as it would operate if an improperly arranged article, such as a part of a sliced loaf has passed beyond the point of introduction into the wrapping mechanism;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation on line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 5 but showing the vertically movable safety folders moved out of normal operative position due to their engagement with the end tuckers on the lifting table;

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of my improved pivoted safety loaf stop plate;

Figure 8 is an end elevation on line 8--8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing the pivoted loaf stop plate in raised position in order to allow an article to be moved therebeneath without damage to the machine;

Figure 10 is a plan view showing a preferred form of my vertically movable safety folder;

Figure 11 is an elevation of Figure 10 taken on line H--ll of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an end elevation taken on line l2-|2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an end elevation similar to that shown in Figure 12 illustrating the position a folder assumes if for some reason there is improper coaction between the tuckers and end folders; and

Figure 14 is a wiring diagram showing the ciragainst a stop plate It in the path of a reciprocatory plunger 25 for transfer during a dwell in the movement of conveyor l0 onto a lifter table I2 of the wrapping machine.

In Figure 3 a sliced loaf of bread L properly arranged with respect to infeed conveyor flights 32 of conveyor III has been moved into position for introduction into the wrapping machine where it rests with its leading end engaging stop plate It. Loaf U, the next loaf to be handled is shown improperly positioned with respect to the lugs 32 with some of its slices lying on the wrong side of lug 32 whereas the main portion of the loaf is properly positioned. As loaf L approaches the point where its leading end should engage the stop plate It to locate it for movement onto lifter table l2, the misplaced slices will press against loaf stop It to cause it to swing vertically (Figure 4) and thereby allow the separated slices to be moved forward without breaking either the plate I or leading lug 32 or both. This action also prevents a machine jam because of the safety construction of the loaf stop. It will be seen, therefore, that the misplaced slices of loaf L will be ejected easily from the machine as a result of its continued movement and manual backing on the machine is eliminated. If desired, the main portion of loaf L can be removed prior to wrapping or it can be wrapped and later discarded as a cripple without causing stoppage of the machine or breakage of any part of the conveyor.

As illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9, plate It may be provided with two hinged lugs is attached by screws l8 and mounted to swing on trunnions 2B of a T-shaped bracket 22. An elongated slot 24 formed in bracket 22 permits bracket 22 to be adjustably secured to a stationary member 25 depending from the frame of the machine and fastened thereto in any suitable manner. Slot 24 is formed of a length sufflcient to allow the adjustment of the loaf stop l4 laterally of the machine to suit various lengths and types of products. Springs 28, each having one end secured in slots 30 formed in trunnions 20 and the other end bearing against plate I, provide suitable yielding resistance against deflection of the plate It upward under ordinary conditions but will yield and permit the plate to swing away (Figures 4 and 9) whenever any obstruction which mightdamage the machine occurs.

As shown in Figure 7, plate It is shaped to allow passage of flights or lugs 32 of conveyor in, but the size of the slices of a loaf is such that if they extend beyond the limits of the passage opening in plate It they can force the plate to swing vertically out of the way whenever a condition such as shown in Figure 4 exists. A stop plate 34 secured to bracket 22 by bolts 33 maintains plate H normally in a vertical position.

It will be seen by referring to Figures 1 and 2 that when a loaf has been properly positioned against the yielding stop plate i4, plunger 25 operated by conventional means (not shown), moves it onto lifter table l2 out of the path of lugs 32 of conveyor Hi. In its travel from feed conveyor l0 onto lifter table l2, loaf L (Figure 2) engages a wrapper web W which is draped in its path in a manner similar to that set forth in Armstrong Patent No. 1,668,854, granted Febman? 28, 1928, and in this movement the free end of the wrapper W is turned over and positioned against the bottom of the loaves. In the same movement tuckers 36 engage the wrapper and tuck the first folds against the ends of the loaf. The lifter table I2 then moves upwardly and in so doing the partially wrapped loaf L entersbetween the two folders designated generally 31. If proper adjustments with respect to the length of loaf has been made or if no obstruction has prevented tuckers 36 from maintaining their proper operative positions, folders 31 will not be 4 disturbed but will engage and form the second fold in the wrapper against the loaf ends by folding downwardly the upper portion of the wrapper. This fold being completed, a pusher arm 63 (Figure 2) advances the loaf between two pairs of folder plates 86 and 88 where the final wrapping operations are completed.

If for any reason there is an improper operative relationship between the tuckers 36 and folders 31, as when folders 31 have been adjusted too close together, or tuckers 36 have been adjusted too far apart or if an article is improperly positioned so as to form an obstruction, then the upward movement of table 12 carrying the article to be wrapped will cause the ends of tuckers 36 to strike, bear against and move the folders substantially vertically out of the path of travel of the tuckers, and thereby prevent breakage of either or both of the folders or tuckers. So also if an article, such as a loaf positioned on table l2, should be longer than the regular run of loaves passing through the machine the tuckers would be biased out of their proper position and would engage the folders and operate in the manner just described. My mechanism is so designed that the cooperation between the tuckers and folders also acts to stop' either the whole or a part of the machine before any structural damage can take place.

Figures to 13, inclusive, show the detail construction of my safety folder-tucker mechanism in which spaced, laterally adjustable side frames 38, which may be somewhat similar to those shown in Schmidt Patent No. 1,851,295, granted March 29, 1932, act as the chief supporting means for the several folders constituting the folding chute or foldway along which articles are progressed by suitable conveying mechanism having spaced pushers 63.

Since the construction of the two safety folder units is identical, only one will be described. Supports 38 are provided with upstanding lugs 4! in which are secured, by means of nuts 43, bolts 40 provided with heads in which are fastened the ends of a shaft 44. A plate 42 provided with a right-angular extension 42a is mounted on bolts 46 (see Figure 10).

A bracket 46, pivotally mounted on shaft 44, is provided with spaced arms 5| having bearings in their ends in which pivots a rod 52. A plate 48 is attached by lugs 50 to rod 52 for pivotal movement relative to the bracket. A face plate 54, which has at one end adownwardly extending portion 53, is adjustably secured by means of screws 55 to plate 48 and constitutes the active folding portion which engages the article wrapper and makes an end fold with respect to an article being wrapped.

Referring to Figures 12 and 13, it will be seen that plate 42 is furnished with an elongated vertical slot 58, inclined slightly from the vertical,

in which is adapted to move a stud 58 mounted 36 and forced to move upwardly, it will tend to move in a substantially vertical plane due to the cooperation between bracket 46, plate 48 and stud 56 traveling in slot 58. Plate 42 (as shown in Figure 12) is bent substantially at right angles and extends beneath the folder unit in order to coact with a tucker 36 on table l2 when held out of proper position for any reason such as described hereinabove. A cam plate 64 suitably mounted on plate 42 extends outwardly therefrom into the tucker path tends generally to deflect the tuckers outwardly away from the folder. Portion 53 of folder 54 is turned somewhat inwardly towards plate 42 since it is found that in this position it coacts more satisfactorily with the projecting ends of a wrapper in starting the end fold as the lifter table elevates a loaf into fold ing position relative thereto.

From the above it will be seen that positive means are provided for preventing damage to either or both spaced tuckers or folders as the lifter table rises carrying an article to be wrapped. In order to further insure the safety of the machine and prevent any breakage of these parts, there is provided on either one or both of the folder units 31 a positive stop means for stopping the entire machine or a part thereof. In the form selected for illustration, there is embodied a suitable electric switch such as a mercury switch 60 which is mounted on bracket 46 by means of a switch socket 65. This switch normally establishes a closed circuit C through the driving motor DM and whenever the folder is moved upwardly from the normal operating position l2 to that illustrated in Figure 13, the circuit through the driving motor is broken and the whole machine comes to a stop. In this manner the operator can determine the cause for stopping, make the necessary adjustment or remove any objecting article, and then restart the machine to continue the wrapping of the successio of articles being fed thereto.

The folder units are so constructed that a very slight angular displacement of bracket 46 caused by vertical movement of folder 54 results in the stoppage of the machine. A cover 62', as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Figures 10 to 13, inclusive, may be provided in order to enclose the several elements of each folder unit. This cover may be mounted on lugs 61 extending upwardly from bracket 46 by means of screws 68.

An electric heater unit Bil-is attached to plate 48 by means of a strap 92 held by two bolts 94. The heater is wired in the customary manner (not shown). 4

As illustrated in the wiring diagram shown in Figure 14, with the mercury switches 60 on the folders 3! closed, the operator closes the circuit to the motor DM by pressing a push button 10.

The circuit will then' energize the relay 12 which closes switches 74 and I6 thus completing the circuit to the motor DM which starts the machine. Should either or both folders 31 be distorted (as shown in Figures 6 and 13), the movement of mercury switches causes a break in the circuit and the motor is stopped.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device, selected to illustrate the invention, is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. It is not, therefore,

to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A folder for a wrapping machine comprising a support, a normally stationary mount positioned for vertical movement carried by said support, a plate fixed to said mount for vertical movement therewith, and means connected to said plate for constraining said plate to move in substantially a vertical plane.

2. A folder for a wrapping machine comprising a support, a normally stationary mount positioned for vertical movement carried by said support, a plate fixed to said mount for 'vertical movement therewith, a wrapper engaging member fastened to said plate, said member being provided with a portion projecting downwardly adjacent one end thereof for effecting initial folding of a portion of a wrapper moved into the folding zone of said member.

3. In a wrapping machine provided with article feeding means including a lifter table for raising an article from one level to another, and a pair of spaced article engaging members carried by said table, wrapper folders positioned adjacent the path of upward movement of said table and constructed and arranged to fold a portion of the wrapper, supports for said folders, and means mounting said folders on said supports in substantially vertical planes for normal folding operations, said means including mechanism constructed and arranged to allow vertical movement of said folders away from said table whenever engaged by a member incorrectly positioned relatively to said folders upon upward movement of said table.

4. In a wrapping machine provided with mechanism for feeding articles to be wrapped, a lifter table for raising an article and a wrapper, folding members carried by said table and constructed and arranged to engage and fold portions of the wrapper against the ends of said article, folders normally located in the path of said article as it moves upward on said table, and means on said folders coacting with said members for moving said folders out of the path of saidmembers when said members are incorrectly positioned relative to said folders.

5. In a wrapping machine provided with mechanism for feeding articles to be wrapped, a lifter table for raising an article and a wrapper, members carried by said table and constructed and arranged to engage and fold portions of the wrapper against the ends of said article, folders located in the path of said article as it is moved upwardly by said table, means on said folders coacting with said members for moving said folders out of the path of said members when the latter are incorrectly positioned relative to said members, and means associated with said folders for stopping said machine whenever said folders are thus engaged and moved by said members.

6. In a wrapping machine provided with mechanism for feeding articles to be wrapped, a lifter table for raising an article and a wrapper, members carried by said table and constructed and arranged to engage and fold portions of the wrapper against the ends of said article, folders located in the path of said article as it moves upward on said table, a machine stop switch carried by at least one of said folders, and means on said folders coacting with said members for biasing said folders out of the path of said members to operate said switch and stop said machine by movement of said folders out of its normal operative position.

'7. An end folder unit for a wrapping machine comprising a support, a folder bracket mounted for vertical movement relative to said support, a folder plate pivotally mounted on said bracket, and a machine stop device fixed to said folder for movement therewith.

8. A wrapping machine folder unit comprising a stationary support, a bracket pivotally mounted on said support for vertical movement relative thereto, a pivoted plate carried by said bracket, and a folder adjustably secured to said plate.

9. A wrapping machine folder unit comprising a stationary support, a bracket pivotally mounted on said support for vertical movement relative thereto, a pivoted plate carried by said bracket, a folder adjustably secured to said plate, and means for constraining said plate and folder element for movement in substantially a vertical plane.

10. A wrapping machine folder unit comprising a stationary support, a bracket pivotally mounted on said support for vertical movement relative thereto, a pivoted plate carried by said bracket, a folder adjustably secured to said plate, and means for constraining said plate and folder for movement in a. substantially vertical plane, said means including a stud on said folder tracking a substantially vertical cam face in said plate.

11. A wrapping machine folder unit comprising a stationary support, a bracket pivotally movably mounted on said support for vertical movement relative thereto, a pivoted plate carried by said bracket, a folder secured to said plate, means for constraining said plate and said folder for movement in a substantially vertical plane, and a cam mounted on said plate and extending at a substantially right-angle therefrom, said cam being constructed and arranged to engage with and deflect other folding members coming in contact therewith.

12. A wrapping machine folder unit comprising a stationary support, a bracket movably .mounted on said support for vertical movement relative thereto, a pivoted plate carried by said bracket, a folder secured to said plate, and means for constraining said plate and folder for movement in a substantially vertical plane, said means including a stud on said folder tracking a substantially vertical cam face in said plate, and a switch mounted on said bracket and operable in response to the movement of said folder for stopping said machine.

13. Article wrapping mechanism comprising spaced supports, wrapper folders mounted on said supports. a lifter table movable vertically upwardly and downwardly between said supports, wrapper tuckers carried by said table, and means mounted on said folders and cooperating with said tuckers for stopping said table movement whenever said tuckers are improperly positioned relative to said folders.

14. Article wrapping mechanism comprising aao-aoee said machine upon upward pivotal movement of a folder.

15. In a wrapping machine having spaced supports and mechanism associated therewith forming an article foldway, a pair of spaced opposed substantially vertical folders forming a part of said foldway, means mounting said plates for substantially vertical movement on said supports, an article lifter table movable upwardly and downwardly between said folders, and means associated with at least one of said folders for incapacitating said machine whenever an obstruction on said table causes vertical movement of a folder.

16. In a wrapping machine having spaced supports and mechanism associated therewith forming an article foldway, a pair of spaced opposed substantially vertical folders forming a part of said foldway, means mounting said plates for substantially vertical movement on said supports, an article lifter table movable upwardly and downwardly between said folders, means associated with at least one of said folders for incapacitating said machine whenever an obstruction on said table causes vertical movement of a folder, said means comprising an electric circuit, and a switch carried by said older for breaking said circuit.

1'7. In a wrapping machine having a wrapper folding passageway, spaced opposed supports mounted on opposite sides of said passageway, brackets pivotally mounted on said supports for movement relative thereto, spaced opposed folder plates, means mounting said plates on said brackets for substantially vertical movement relative thereto, a lifter table movable upwardly and downwardly between said folders to deliver articles to be wrapped therebetween, a machine cutout switch mounted on at least oneof said brackets, and means associated with said table for moving said folders vertically and operating said switch to stop said machine whenever an obstruction between said table and folders occurs.

THORMOD JENSEN. 

